Coming to prominence in the 1920s as an inventive trumpet and cornet player, Armstrong was a foundational influence in jazz, shifting the focus of the music from collective improvisation to solo performance. With his instantly-recognizable gravelly voice, Armstrong was also an influential singer, demonstrating great dexterity as an improviser, bending the lyrics and melody of a song for expressive purposes. He was also skilled at scat singing (vocalizing using sounds and syllables instead of actual lyrics).
Renowned for his charismatic stage presence and voice almost as much as for his trumpet-playing, Armstrong's influence extends well beyond jazz music, and by the end of his career in the 1960s, he was widely regarded as a profound influence on popular music in general. Armstrong was one of the first truly popular African-American entertainers to "cross over", whose skin-color was secondary to his music in an America that was severely racially divided. He rarely publicly politicized his race, often to the dismay of fellow African-Americans, but took a well-publicized stand for desegregation during the Little Rock Crisis. His artistry and personality allowed him socially acceptable access to the upper echelons of American society that were highly restricted for a black man.
Armstrong was born and brought up in New Orleans, a culturally diverse town with a unique musical mix of creole, ragtime, marching bands, and blues. Although from an early age he was able to play music professionally, he didn't travel far from New Orleans until 1922, when he went to Chicago to join his mentor, King Oliver. Oliver's band played primitive jazz, a hotter style of ragtime, with looser rhythms and more improvisation, and Armstrong's role was mostly backing. Slow to promote himself, he was eventually persuaded by his wife Lil Hardin to leave Oliver, and In 1924 he went to New York to join the Fletcher Henderson Orchestra. At the time, there were a few other artists using the rhythmic innovations of the New Orleans style, but none did it with the energy and brilliance of Armstrong, and he quickly became a sensation among New York musicians. Back in Chicago in 1925, he made his first recordings with his own group, Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five, and these became not only popular hits but also models for the first generation of jazz musicians, trumpeters or otherwise.
Other hits followed through the twenties and thirties, as well as troubles: crooked managers, lip injuries, mob entanglements, failed big-band ventures. As jazz styles changed, though, musical purists never lost any respect for him -- although they were sometimes irritated by his hammy onstage persona. Around the late forties, with the help of a good manager, Armstrong's business affairs finally stablilized, and he began to be seen as an elder statesman of American popular entertainment, appearing in Hollywood films, touring Asia and Europe, and dislodging The Beatles from the number-one position with Hello Dolly". Today many people may know him as a singer (a good one), but as Miles Davis said: “You can’t play nothing on modern trumpet that doesn’t come from him."
The 62-year-old Armstrong became the oldest act to top the US charts when "Hello Dolly" reached #1 in 1964. Four years later Satchmo also became the oldest artist to record a UK #1, when "What a Wonderful World" hit the top spot.
We Shall Overcome
Louis Armstrong Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We shall overcome someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.
The Lord will see us through, The Lord will see us through,
The Lord will see us through someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We're on to victory, We're on to victory,
We're on to victory someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We're on to victory someday.
We'll walk hand in hand, we'll walk hand in hand,
We'll walk hand in hand someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We'll walk hand in hand someday.
We are not afraid, we are not afraid,
We are not afraid today;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We are not afraid today.
The truth shall set us free , the truth shall set us free,
The truth shall set us free someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
The truth shall set us free someday.
We shall live in peace, we shall live in peace,
We shall live in peace someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall live in peace someday.
Louis Armstrong's song "We Shall Overcome" is a rallying cry for hope and unity in the face of oppression and discrimination. The lyrics speak of a deep belief that, despite the struggles of the present, a better future is possible. The repetition of the phrase "we shall overcome" acts as a powerful mantra, reinforcing the idea that through solidarity and perseverance, individuals can triumph over adversity.
The mention of The Lord in the lyrics is significant, as it speaks to the deep religious beliefs of many African Americans who clung to their faith in the face of racism and discrimination. The idea that God would see them through their struggles was a source of comfort and strength. Likewise, the line "the truth shall set us free" echoes the words of Martin Luther King Jr., who famously said, "the truth shall set you free," and underscores the idea that honesty and transparency are key to achieving true change and progress.
The final stanza of the song speaks to a desire for peace and harmony, a fundamental human need that transcends race and ethnicity. The use of the word "someday" throughout the song suggests that the struggle for equality and justice may be ongoing, but that the ultimate goal is achievable through persistence and faith.
Overall, the lyrics of "We Shall Overcome" are a testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit, and a call to action for those seeking a more just and equitable world.
Line by Line Meaning
We shall overcome, we shall overcome,
We shall overcome someday;
Despite the struggles we face, we will eventually prevail and achieve victory over our obstacles.
The Lord will see us through, The Lord will see us through,
The Lord will see us through someday;
With faith and trust in a higher power, we will be able to overcome any adversity we face in life.
We're on to victory, We're on to victory,
We're on to victory someday;
We are heading towards a future where we will finally overcome and achieve the victory we deserve.
We'll walk hand in hand, we'll walk hand in hand,
We'll walk hand in hand someday;
Together, united as one, we will overcome our struggles and walk towards a brighter future.
We are not afraid, we are not afraid,
We are not afraid today;
Though we may face challenges, we will not let fear hold us back from achieving our goals.
The truth shall set us free , the truth shall set us free,
The truth shall set us free someday;
By seeking and embracing the truth, we will be able to free ourselves from the constraints that hold us back.
We shall live in peace, we shall live in peace,
We shall live in peace someday;
Our goal is to live in a world without conflict or strife, and we believe that day will come.
Contributed by Elliot L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@myracorcoran8717
Let's all sing like we have never sang before..
We Shall Overcome.. Let's teach our youth this beautiful song.
Deep in my heart, I too believe, that we shall overcome someday soon.
@motownfan3
YOU ARE 100% CORRECT......... I TAUGHT THIS GREAT SONG TO MY TWIN BROTHER'S GRANDKIDS......... 2021 AND TODAY'S YOUTH NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHY THIS SONG IS STILL IMPORTANT AND SHOULD BE SONG DAILY BEFORE WE LOSE THIS GREAT NATION TO HATE, AND GREED ..........
PEACE AND LOVE TO ALL !!!
@didiermartine7870
Yes...We Shallovercome....
@jossthomas3149
When MLK went to India he was shocked to be met by a crowd of Untouchables who broke into We Shall Overcome because in India the caste called Dalit, felt their struggles were the same as American blacks and MLK came to see it was the same
@markherron1407
Liz Lands brought me here and Happy Birthday to Liz Lands Happy BLACK 🖤 History Month Blessings and Hugs 💖💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕!
@TheAnnafisher
Love this so much, what a blessing! Thank you for posting!
@arielvan8534
Heard this done by so many...this one gets me all choked up...powerful, thank you for sharing!
@IanRob2011
I’m 74 and I fell in love with this voice when I was 5. Someone’s race should not matter. I’m white and I was told all are children of God. Bless this talented man and his family.
@MelissaDuffySacredBreath
I LOVE Louie Armstrong and love this song. Louie was so full of love and strength, he sang entirely from his heart, his eyes lit up, a huge smile on his face.
@TTweekendTv
Yeahhhhh bitch